Former Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar has viewed the ongoing conflict between the ruling BJP and its NDA ally Tipra Motha in Tripura as a strategic ploy to bargain for seats ahead of the upcoming Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections, expected early next year.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a sit-in protest organized by the Left Front in Agartala on Wednesday, Sarkar alleged that the discord between the two ruling alliance partners is not genuine, but a calculated move to gain political advantage.
“There appears to be a contradiction between the BJP and Tipra Motha, but let us not forget that Tipra Motha itself was created by the BJP. This has been openly admitted by BJP MP and former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb,” Sarkar claimed.
He added that with the TTAADC elections only five to six months away, both parties are attempting to maximize their influence. “The BJP wants to expand its base, while Tipra Motha is creating pressure tactics to force the BJP to rely on them, which is why we are seeing these public disputes. It’s all about bargaining power,” Sarkar said.
When asked whether Tipra Motha has achieved anything significant, the veteran CPI(M) leader responded sharply: “Apart from corruption, the party has delivered nothing. People are suffering as a result.”
Commenting on the much-discussed Tiprasa Accord, Sarkar accused Motha leaders of frequently shifting their demands in order to confuse and mislead the public. “They keep raising new demands and changing their stance. But people are starting to see through their strategies. Sooner or later, they will be politically isolated,” he said.
The remarks come at a time when tensions between BJP and Tipra Motha have visibly intensified, especially after the recent clash in Khowai during the Prime Minister’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ program, allegedly involving Motha workers.
